Industry News


Social housing EHS main findings T


here are 4 million households in the social rented sector. The sector is home to more vulnerable groups than other tenures, likely


due to the way social housing is allocated on the basis of need. Over half, 54 per cent, of households in the social


rented sector had a household member with a disability or long-term health condition, compared to 31 per cent of owner occupiers and 25 per cent of private renters. Social renters tend to have lower income than


other tenures. Just under half (47 per cent) of social renters were in the lowest quintile, greater than the proportion of owners and private renters (13 per cent and 20 per cent respectively). In 2019/20, the social rented sector has the


highest proportion of lone parent households (22 per cent), compared to owner occupied (6 per cent) and private rented sectors (13 per cent). The social rented sector has the highest


rate of overcrowding, and the lowest rate of under-occupation. In 2019/20, 9 per cent of homes in the social


rented sector were overcrowded, the highest level recorded since 1995/96. This was higher than the proportion in the owner occupied (1 per cent) and private rented (7 per cent) sectors. Rates of overcrowding were higher amongst local


authority tenants (11 per cent) than housing association tenants (7 per cent). London had the largest proportion of


overcrowded households, compared to any other region. Of social renters in London, 17 per cent were living in overcrowded accommodation, compared to 7 per cent for the rest of England. In the social rented sector, ethnic minority


households had higher levels of overcrowding (18 per cent) than white households (at 7 per cent). In contrast, 10 per cent of households in the


social rented sector are under-occupied (i.e. have two or more spare bedrooms). This was lower than the proportion of under-occupied homes in the private rented (15 per cent) and owner occupied (52 per cent) sectors. Most social renters are satisfied with living


within the social rented sector, their accommodation and the area they live. However, the level of satisfaction is generally lower than for owners and private renters. Over three quarters (78 per cent) of social renters


said that they were satisfied with their accommodation. This was lower than the proportion of owners (95 per cent) and private renters (83 per cent) who said they were satisfied with their accommodation. Most (80 per cent) social renters reported that


they were satisfied with being a social renter. This was lower than the proportion of owners who were satisfied with being owners (98 per cent), but higher than private renters (70 per cent). 79 per cent of social renters said they were satisfied with their area. Satisfaction with the area


was higher among private renters (84 per cent) and owner-occupiers (90 per cent). Those who rent from a housing association have


higher levels of satisfaction than those who rent from a local authority. Housing association tenants reported higher


levels of satisfaction with accommodation (80 per cent) than local authority tenants (75 per cent). Similarly, a higher proportion of housing


association residents said they were satisfied with their area (80 per cent) than local authority tenants (76 per cent). While many social renters are satisfied with the


housing services provided by their landlord almost a third had considered making a complaint in the last 12 months. Of those who had complained,


12 | HMM August/September 2021 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


the majority were unhappy with the response they received. In 2019/20, 70 per cent of social renters


said they were satisfied with housing services provided by their landlord and 30 per cent had considered making a complaint about housing services in the last 12 months. This was higher than the proportion of private renters who considered making a complaint (15 per cent). Of social renters who considered making


a complaint, 63 per cent complained to the landlord, 21 per cent to the management organisation, whilst 18 per cent made no complaint at all.


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